Description
Warm Baked Apple Fritters with Maple Glaze are a sweet, comforting treat. This recipe brings a touch of nostalgia and simple joy to your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- Fritter Base:
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Apple Goodness:
- 1 large (about 1 ½ cups diced) apple, peeled, cored, and diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp recommended)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Maple Glaze:
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk (any kind), as needed
Instructions
- Prep Your Apples and Oven:: First things first, get that oven preheating to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trust me on the parchment; cleanup is a breeze! While that’s warming up, peel, core, and dice your apples into small, roughly 1/4-inch pieces. I usually aim for a size that won’t make the fritters too chunky but still gives you a good bite of apple. This is where I sometimes get a little too ambitious with my dicing, and end up with huge apple chunks. Oops.
- Whisk the Dry Stuff:: In a big bowl, whisk together your flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and that crucial pinch of salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed. You don’t want a pocket of just baking powder in one fritter! This step feels simple, but it’s important for consistent baked apple fritters. I always make sure there are no lumps here.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients:: In a separate, smaller bowl, gently whisk your egg, then add the milk and melted butter. Don’t overmix; we just want it combined. I often melt the butter in the microwave, and sometimes it gets a little too hot, so I let it cool for a minute before adding it to the egg so I don’t accidentally scramble it. Been there, done that, it’s not pretty. This ensures your baked apple fritters will be tender.
- Combine and Fold in Apples:: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. A few lumps are totally fine; overmixing develops the gluten, and we want tender baked apple fritters, not tough ones. Then, gently fold in your diced apples and ground cinnamon. The batter will be thick, but that’s what we’re going for! It should smell heavenly right about now, a perfect prelude to your baked apple fritters with glaze.
- Scoop and Bake:: Using two spoons or a small cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the batter onto your prepared baking sheet. I usually aim for about 1.5-2 tablespoons per fritter, giving them a slightly irregular, rustic shape. Don’t crowd them too much, or they won’t brown nicely. Pop them into your preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. They should feel firm to the touch.
- Whip Up the Glaze:: While your baked apple fritters are cooling a bit (but still warm!), whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and a tablespoon of milk in a small bowl. Add more milk, a tiny bit at a time, until you have a smooth, pourable glaze. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Drizzle liberally over the warm fritters. This is the fun part, honestly! The glaze transforms these into true baked apple fritters with glaze.